page_title: August Sandgren
section_title: Biography
hierarchical_section_title: August Sandgren / Biography
caption_attribution_description: Dansk: Privatbind udført 1911-12 af den danske bogbinder August Sandgren (1893-1934) − Helbind i gråligt svineskind (udførligere beskrivelse kan læses her, side 100) Bogen er Uilenspiegel und Lamme Goedzak ein fröhliches Buch trotzTod und Traenen Leipzig Heims 1910. Skrevet i 1867 af Charles De Coster (1827-1879) - Se The Legend of Thyl Ulenspiegel and Lamme Goedzak
context_page_description: August Sandgren was a Danish bookbinder. He was one of the best craftsmen of Denmark and a great designer who never compromised with the techniques of bookbinding.
  August Sandgren craft is in its beautiful and simple style in line with the best in Danish design. Sandgren introduced functionalism to the art of bookbinding in Denmark and he was a major innovator in Danish book design. His bindings can naturally be included in the tradition of Danish design as for example the furniture designers Kaare Klint, Hans J. Wegner and Mogens Koch, architect Arne Jacobsen and silversmith Henning Koppel.
context_section_description: August Sandgren took an apprenticeship in 1907-1911 and in 1912-19 he travelled and worked throughout Europe, including the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and France. When he was about to enter Italy, World War I broke out, and people stranded were put a train to Denmark. Sandgren however got off the train in Berlin, where he was joined by his younger brother Oscar Sandgren (1897-1982), also a bookbinder.
  In Berlin August Sandgren perfected his art and took courses in typography and calligraphy. For a time he was enlisted in the Berlin Buchbinder Fachschule and attended in various workshops. In libraries and museums in Berlin he became acquainted with the work of the English bookbinder T.J. Cobden-Sanderson (1840-1922) from the Arts and Crafts movement, an inspiration for him in the first years. Sandgren was taught gilding by the master bookbinder Paul Kersten, and he achieved recognition for his great skills.
  August Sandgren returned to Copenhagen in 1919 and set up his own workshop in 1920. Among his many customers were noteworthy Danish artists, including Axel Salto. He had several Danish libraries as customers, including The Royal Library, Denmark, and within a 14-year period he produced around 25,000 bookbindings for the Frederiksberg Library, his biggest customer.
  He died from an incurable disease in 1934 and his workshop was continued by his widow and brother and later his son.
caption: Full leather binding by August Sandgren 1912.
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